New York operates one of the largest and most diverse Career and Technical Education systems in the nation, serving students through BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services), local school districts, and the City University and State University systems. The state's CTE programs span the full range of career clusters and serve students in settings ranging from New York City's specialized career academies to rural BOCES centers in the Adirondacks.
The state's CTE system benefits from New York's extraordinary economic diversity, which encompasses finance, healthcare, technology, media, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, and countless other sectors. This economic breadth creates abundant opportunities for CTE programs to connect students with meaningful career pathways in virtually every field.
New York has made significant investments in modernizing its CTE system, including the development of approved CTE programs that meet rigorous quality standards and provide students with both technical skills and academic credentials. The state's CTE approval process is among the most comprehensive in the nation, ensuring program quality and industry relevance.
Standards & Alignment
New York's CTE programs must meet state approval criteria that include alignment with industry standards, integration of academic content, and demonstrated student outcomes. The state has developed detailed program standards for each career cluster that integrate the New York State Learning Standards with technical competencies.
The CTE program approval process requires programs to demonstrate advisory committee involvement, qualified instructors, adequate facilities, work-based learning opportunities, and articulation with postsecondary programs. New York also requires approved CTE programs to include a three-part technical assessment that evaluates student knowledge, skills, and workplace readiness.
Key Challenges
New York faces the challenge of maintaining CTE program quality and access across an enormously diverse landscape. The disparity between CTE resources available in New York City and those in rural upstate communities is significant, and the state works to ensure that geography does not determine the quality of career preparation a student receives.
The cost of operating CTE programs in New York is among the highest in the nation due to high facility, equipment, and personnel costs. Teacher recruitment is particularly challenging in the downstate region where the cost of living is extremely high, while rural regions face challenges related to small enrollment and limited industry partnerships.
Struggling with these challenges in New York?
Perkins V in New York
New York's Perkins V state plan focuses on expanding access to approved CTE programs, strengthening career pathways from secondary to postsecondary education, and improving equity in CTE outcomes. The plan sets specific targets for increasing the number of students completing approved CTE programs and earning industry-recognized credentials.
The state directs Perkins funding toward supporting program development and approval, expanding work-based learning opportunities, and providing professional development for CTE educators. New York has also invested in improving CTE data infrastructure to better track student progress and inform program improvement.
New York CTE Resources
Essential links for CTE educators and administrators in New York.
State CTE Agency
New York State Education Department, Office of Career and Technical Education
Official CTE division of the New York Department of Education
Course Standards & Frameworks
New York CTE Course Standards
State-approved standards, course sequences, and pathway frameworks
National Profile
New York on Advance CTE
Enrollment data, Perkins funding, and state comparisons
How Sage Helps New York CTE Programs
AI-Powered Curriculum
Generate standards-aligned lesson plans in minutes, not months
New York Standards Built In
Pre-loaded with New York's CTE standards and frameworks
Teacher Customization
Teachers personalize content while maintaining standards alignment
Ongoing Updates
Curriculum stays current as New York standards and industry needs evolve
"Together with Sage, we're rewriting the future — accelerating timelines, giving teachers precious time to focus on students, and helping schools retain and support the passionate educators who make it all possible."
Lynne Wilson
CTE Director, CTAERN
Frequently Asked Questions
New York offers CTE programs across 16 career clusters. These programs provide students with hands-on career preparation aligned with industry needs.
New York aligns CTE curriculum with industry standards through a comprehensive process that includes working with industry advisory boards, mapping to state and national standards, and regularly updating programs to reflect current workplace requirements. This ensures students graduate with relevant, job-ready skills.
Perkins V is federal funding that supports Career Technical Education programs in New York. This funding helps schools purchase equipment, develop curriculum, provide professional development for teachers, and ensure CTE programs meet quality standards that prepare students for high-skill, high-wage careers.
Sage uses AI to help New York educators build standards-aligned CTE curriculum in weeks instead of months. Our platform generates customized lesson plans, assessments, and resources tailored to New York standards, saving teachers countless hours while ensuring high-quality, industry-aligned content.
Explore Other States
Connecticut
CTConnecticut's Career and Technical Education system serves students through a network that includes the Connecticut Technical Education and Career System (CTECS), which operates 17 technical high schools across the state, as well as CTE programs in comprehensive high schools and regional educational service centers. This dual structure provides students with both immersive technical education environments and integrated CTE pathways within traditional school settings. The CTECS technical high schools are a hallmark of Connecticut's approach, offering full-time programs where students alternate between academic and technical instruction in a model that has produced strong outcomes in both career readiness and college preparation. These schools are among the most sought-after in the state, with competitive admissions processes reflecting high demand. Connecticut's CTE programs reflect the state's economic strengths in advanced manufacturing, insurance and financial services, healthcare, and technology. The state has made significant investments in modernizing CTE facilities and curricula to keep pace with industry evolution, particularly in precision manufacturing and emerging technology fields.
NortheastMassachusetts
MAMassachusetts has a long and distinguished tradition of vocational technical education, operating one of the oldest and most well-established CTE systems in the nation. The state's regional vocational technical schools serve as full-time educational institutions where students spend their high school years alternating between academic coursework and technical training in a week-on, week-off model. The Commonwealth's CTE system is characterized by high standards and strong outcomes. Massachusetts vocational technical graduates consistently demonstrate strong academic achievement alongside technical proficiency, with many schools maintaining waiting lists for admission. The state's robust economy in sectors like biotechnology, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, and information technology creates strong demand for CTE graduates. Massachusetts has invested significantly in modernizing its vocational technical schools, with major capital projects to update facilities and equipment. The state's emphasis on integrating academic rigor with hands-on technical training has produced a model that other states frequently study and emulate.
NortheastNew Jersey
NJNew Jersey's Career and Technical Education system is one of the most extensive in the Northeast, operating through a network of county vocational-technical school districts, comprehensive high schools, and community colleges. Each of New Jersey's 21 counties has a dedicated vocational-technical school district, providing a strong institutional foundation for CTE delivery across the state. The state's CTE programs benefit from New Jersey's strategic location in the Boston-Washington corridor and its diverse economy, which spans pharmaceuticals, financial services, healthcare, logistics, advanced manufacturing, and technology. CTE pathways are designed to connect students with these industries through rigorous academic and technical preparation. New Jersey has invested heavily in its county vocational-technical schools, many of which have developed selective admissions programs that attract high-achieving students. This has helped elevate the reputation of CTE and demonstrate that career preparation and academic excellence are complementary goals.
NortheastPennsylvania
PAPennsylvania operates one of the nation's most extensive career and technical education systems, with a network of 85 career and technical centers (CTCs) and over 170 approved CTE programs serving more than 180,000 students annually. The state's CTE infrastructure reflects its industrial heritage while evolving to meet the demands of a modern, knowledge-based economy. Pennsylvania's CTE system is organized through area career and technical centers, which serve students from multiple sending school districts, and through comprehensive high school programs that offer CTE within the traditional school setting. This dual-delivery model ensures broad access to career-technical education across the state's diverse communities. The state has made significant investments in modernizing CTE programs, particularly in high-growth sectors such as healthcare, information technology, advanced manufacturing, and energy. Pennsylvania's Industry Partnerships and the state's workforce development network collaborate closely with CTE to ensure that programs prepare students for in-demand careers in the Commonwealth.
NortheastReady to Transform CTE in New York?
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